{"id":7846,"date":"2023-06-27T20:34:10","date_gmt":"2023-06-28T03:34:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/evhnews.com\/?p=7846"},"modified":"2023-06-27T20:34:10","modified_gmt":"2023-06-28T03:34:10","slug":"bmw-group-breaks-ground-on-new-high-voltage-battery-assembly-factory-in-south-carolina","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/evhnews.com\/en\/2023\/06\/27\/bmw-group-breaks-ground-on-new-high-voltage-battery-assembly-factory-in-south-carolina\/","title":{"rendered":"BMW Group Breaks Ground On New High-Voltage Battery Assembly Factory In South Carolina"},"content":{"rendered":"<ul>\n<li>Plant Woodruff Will Produce Batteries for Fully Electric BMW X Models at Plant Spartanburg.<\/li>\n<li>New Technical Training Center Will Play Critical Role for EV Training.<\/li>\n<li>Woodruff Facility Will Have Several Sustainability Innovations.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The BMW Group took a major step on Tuesday towards building electric vehicles in the United States as it broke ground for a new high-voltage battery assembly plant in Woodruff, South Carolina. Named \u201cPlant Woodruff,\u201d the BMW facility will produce sixth-generation batteries to supply fully electric vehicles at nearby BMW Manufacturing in Spartanburg. More than 300 jobs will be created onsite at Plant Woodruff with the opportunity to grow.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe&#8217;re making the BMW Group electric. Our new battery assembly plant in Woodruff will soon play an important role in our electric future here in the USA,\u201d said Ilka Horstmeier, Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG responsible for Human Resources and Real Estate. \u201cThrough the Woodruff plant, we expand our footprint in the state of South Carolina. At the same time, we are taking our associates with us in this transformation. Our new Technical Training Center at the Spartanburg plant will prepare our 11,000 associates for the future. In this way, we are taking responsibility as a reliable employer and offer future-proof jobs at the same time.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cToday\u2019s groundbreaking is the start of a new era at Plant Spartanburg as we prepare to produce fully electric BMW X models for the world,\u201d said Dr. Robert Engelhorn, president and CEO of BMW Manufacturing. \u201cThe road to the future begins here in Woodruff as we build on our legacy of producing high-quality vehicles right here in the U.S. Plant Woodruff will be state-of-the-art in terms of sustainability, flexibility, and digitalization.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Last October, BMW Group Chairman Oliver Zipse announced a new $1.7 billion investment in its U.S. operations, including $1 billion to prepare Plant Spartanburg for the production of fully electric vehicles and $700 million to build a new high-voltage battery assembly plant. The Woodruff facility, located on 315 acres near the city, will be more than one million square feet in size that includes construction of a technology building and support buildings such as a cafeteria, fire department, and energy center.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI am proud to celebrate BMW\u2019s groundbreaking for Plant Woodruff. This new high-voltage battery assembly factory once again proves that South Carolina is a leader in the EV industry and furthers our reputation as an automotive powerhouse,\u201d said Governor Henry McMaster. \u201cWe look forward to continuing our strong partnership with BMW as they continue to help move South Carolina forward.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBMW continuously recognizes the many possibilities of doing business in South Carolina,\u201d said Secretary of Commerce Harry M. Lightsey III. \u201cThe company\u2019s innovation, fueled by the highly skilled workforce that our state provides, means Plant Woodruff will help drive future growth that will impact the entire state. Congratulations, BMW!\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>BMW Group\u2019s \u201cLocal for Local\u201d Principle.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>As part of the BMW Group\u2019s \u201clocal for local\u201d approach, the company will purchase battery cells for its electric vehicles from partner AESC, which is building a new 30 GWh battery cell factory in Florence, South Carolina, with BMW as its first customer. AESC broke ground for its new plant on June 7. They will produce newly developed round lithium-ion battery cells, specifically designed for the sixth generation of BMW eDrive technology. The new battery format will increase energy density by more than 20 percent and improve charging speed and range by up to 30 percent. At the same time, CO<sub>2<\/sub>\u00a0emissions from cell production will be reduced by up to 60 percent through the partial use of secondary lithium, cobalt, and nickel material, as well as renewable energy for production.<\/p>\n<p>Battery cells produced at the AESC facility in Florence will be shipped to Plant Woodruff, where the cells will be used to manufacture batteries for fully electric BMW X models at Plant Spartanburg. By 2030, Plant Spartanburg will build at least six fully electric BMWs.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Upskilling the BMW Workforce.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The new BMW Technical Training Center (TTC), which opened in October, will play a critical role in preparing associates to build fully electric vehicles. Plant Spartanburg already produces three plug-in hybrid electric vehicles \u2013 the BMW X3 xDrive30e, BMW X5 xDrive50e, and the BMW XM \u2013 and several hundred associates already have EV training. The TTC will be at the center of all EV training for North and South America to ensure associates master the skills to set new industry standards.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOur job is to put together a toolbox for our associates that will be the foundation for a full and satisfying career at BMW,\u201d said Sherry McCraw, vice president of Human Resources. \u201cWe must capitalize on our team\u2019s existing skill sets, support them with the appropriate training, and ensure they are well equipped for the EV journey ahead.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>Using Sustainable Methods at Plant Woodruff.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The BMW Group\u2019s philosophy of promoting sustainability in all its facilities will be promoted at the Woodruff plant as well.\u00a0 This was important in the building\u2019s design and use of equipment. Some of the innovations include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Plant Woodruff will be operated without fossil fuels and will use 100 percent green electricity. In addition, CO<sub>2<\/sub>\u00a0emissions per vehicle across the lifecycle will fall by 40 percent by 2030.<\/li>\n<li>The structure is \u201csolar ready,\u201d meaning it supports the installation of a rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) system in the future.<\/li>\n<li>The facility uses a highly energy efficient concept with only 67 kwh\/m\u00b2a energy consumption.<\/li>\n<li>Smart LED lighting and occupancy sensors combined with dimming strategies to reduce energy consumption for lighting.<\/li>\n<li>Significant reduction in water consumption at the plant. Rainwater will also be harvested and used.<\/li>\n<li>BMW will use technology from CarbonCure that injects captured CO<sub>2<\/sub>\u00a0into fresh concrete during the mixing process. This concrete will be used in sections of the facility. This sequesters CO<sub>2<\/sub>\u00a0permanently at a molecular level and increases the strength of the concrete.<\/li>\n<li>Use of highly efficient electrical \u201csmart\u201d motors from Turntide, a BMW iVentures partner, to reduce energy consumption by as much as 40 percent in HVAC systems.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Since 1992, the BMW Group has invested nearly $12.4 billion in its South Carolina operations. BMW Manufacturing is the largest BMW Group plant in the world, producing more than 1,500 vehicles each day. The plant is an important part of BMW\u2019s global production network and plays a critical role in meeting the high demand for BMW Sports Activity Vehicles and Coupes in the U.S. and around the world. Nearly 60 percent of its vehicles are shipped to about 120 global markets, making BMW the largest automotive exporter by value in the United States for nine consecutive years. In 2022, approximately 60 percent of BMW vehicles sold in the U.S. came from Plant Spartanburg.\u00a0 The model portfolio includes six top-selling BMW X models, five Motorsport X models, and three plug-in hybrid electric vehicle X models. The factory has an annual production capacity of up to 450,000 vehicles and employs more than 11,000 people.<\/p>\n<p>&#8230;notes from SP<br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"7554\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/evhnews.com\/en\/2023\/05\/10\/all-new-kia-ev9-suv-set-for-nationwide-electrify-expo-tour\/evh-news-lighting-bolt-logo-3\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/evhnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/EVH-News-Lighting-Bolt-Logo-.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"100,100\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1575197468&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"EVH News-Lighting-Bolt-Logo-\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/evhnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/EVH-News-Lighting-Bolt-Logo-.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/evhnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/EVH-News-Lighting-Bolt-Logo-.jpg\" class=\"size-full wp-image-7554 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/evhnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/EVH-News-Lighting-Bolt-Logo-.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"100\" height=\"100\" \/><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Plant Woodruff Will Produce Batteries for Fully Electric BMW X Models at Plant Spartanburg. New&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":165558846,"featured_media":7848,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_coblocks_attr":"","_coblocks_dimensions":"","_coblocks_responsive_height":"","_coblocks_accordion_ie_support":"","_crdt_document":"","advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"two_page_speed":[],"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"_wpas_customize_per_network":false},"categories":[688386226],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7846","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-autonomous-industry-news"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"featured_image_urls":{"full":["https:\/\/evhnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/BMW-Group-Breaks-Ground-on-New-High-Voltage-Battery-Assembly-Factory-in-South-Carolina.jpg",3022,1682,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/evhnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/BMW-Group-Breaks-Ground-on-New-High-Voltage-Battery-Assembly-Factory-in-South-Carolina-150x150.jpg?crop=1",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/evhnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/BMW-Group-Breaks-Ground-on-New-High-Voltage-Battery-Assembly-Factory-in-South-Carolina-300x167.jpg",300,167,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/evhnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/BMW-Group-Breaks-Ground-on-New-High-Voltage-Battery-Assembly-Factory-in-South-Carolina-768x427.jpg",640,356,true],"large":["https:\/\/evhnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/BMW-Group-Breaks-Ground-on-New-High-Voltage-Battery-Assembly-Factory-in-South-Carolina-1024x570.jpg",640,356,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/evhnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/BMW-Group-Breaks-Ground-on-New-High-Voltage-Battery-Assembly-Factory-in-South-Carolina-1536x855.jpg",1536,855,true],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/evhnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/BMW-Group-Breaks-Ground-on-New-High-Voltage-Battery-Assembly-Factory-in-South-Carolina-2048x1140.jpg",2048,1140,true],"trp-custom-language-flag":["https:\/\/evhnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/BMW-Group-Breaks-Ground-on-New-High-Voltage-Battery-Assembly-Factory-in-South-Carolina.jpg",18,10,false],"newspack-article-block-landscape-large":["https:\/\/evhnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/BMW-Group-Breaks-Ground-on-New-High-Voltage-Battery-Assembly-Factory-in-South-Carolina-1200x900.jpg?crop=1",1200,900,true],"newspack-article-block-portrait-large":["https:\/\/evhnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/BMW-Group-Breaks-Ground-on-New-High-Voltage-Battery-Assembly-Factory-in-South-Carolina-900x1200.jpg?crop=1",900,1200,true],"newspack-article-block-square-large":["https:\/\/evhnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/BMW-Group-Breaks-Ground-on-New-High-Voltage-Battery-Assembly-Factory-in-South-Carolina-1200x1200.jpg?crop=1",1200,1200,true],"newspack-article-block-landscape-medium":["https:\/\/evhnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/BMW-Group-Breaks-Ground-on-New-High-Voltage-Battery-Assembly-Factory-in-South-Carolina-800x600.jpg?crop=1",800,600,true],"newspack-article-block-portrait-medium":["https:\/\/evhnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/BMW-Group-Breaks-Ground-on-New-High-Voltage-Battery-Assembly-Factory-in-South-Carolina-600x800.jpg?crop=1",600,800,true],"newspack-article-block-square-medium":["https:\/\/evhnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/BMW-Group-Breaks-Ground-on-New-High-Voltage-Battery-Assembly-Factory-in-South-Carolina-800x800.jpg?crop=1",800,800,true],"newspack-article-block-landscape-intermediate":["https:\/\/evhnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/BMW-Group-Breaks-Ground-on-New-High-Voltage-Battery-Assembly-Factory-in-South-Carolina.jpg",600,334,false],"newspack-article-block-portrait-intermediate":["https:\/\/evhnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/BMW-Group-Breaks-Ground-on-New-High-Voltage-Battery-Assembly-Factory-in-South-Carolina.jpg",450,250,false],"newspack-article-block-square-intermediate":["https:\/\/evhnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/BMW-Group-Breaks-Ground-on-New-High-Voltage-Battery-Assembly-Factory-in-South-Carolina.jpg",600,334,false],"newspack-article-block-landscape-small":["https:\/\/evhnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/BMW-Group-Breaks-Ground-on-New-High-Voltage-Battery-Assembly-Factory-in-South-Carolina-400x300.jpg?crop=1",400,300,true],"newspack-article-block-portrait-small":["https:\/\/evhnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/BMW-Group-Breaks-Ground-on-New-High-Voltage-Battery-Assembly-Factory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